Here's some good advice

"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck) 05/05/2020 at 23:04 • Filed to: None

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If you’re going to work from home and tell people that you’re working all day, make sure that the work you’re doing doesn’t get timestamped.

To be fair, he started collecting data at 12:42 and didn’t stop until 5:49, but that’s still only a five-hour work day. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and add half an hour on either end for transportation (which he shouldn’t be getting since he’s going directly from the house to the job site). That’s still two hours being billed that he’s not working.

I’m glad that I’m neither his supervisor nor the one who caught this.

Chariotoflove > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/06/2020 at 00:44

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D’oh!

facw > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/06/2020 at 00:53

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Meh, if management is happy with what he’s getting done, who cares?

jimz > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/06/2020 at 05:29

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“Knock-knock!”

“Who’s there?”

“Micromanager. Now you say ‘micromanager who?’”

TheRealBicycleBuck > facw 05/06/2020 at 08:04

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That’s the problem - the project is over budget and behind schedule.

TheRealBicycleBuck > jimz 05/06/2020 at 08:06

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While the boss is prone to micromanaging, the real problem on this project is that it’s over budget and behind schedule. The whole reason for her asking the questions in the first place is because of poor performance. 

DipodomysDeserti > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/06/2020 at 08:26

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Well, my work from home also involves me being a school admin to my two kids, juggling computers and dealing with the internet being slow as shit because four people are trying to live stream stuff from home. So five hours is probably closer to eight or nine. I know every situation is different, but I’m hoping everyone is being a bit understanding of everyone else being locked in their homes. I’m having to deal with people who aren’t , and it’s because they only have themselves to worry about. It’s becoming very frustrating.

TheRealBicycleBuck > DipodomysDeserti 05/06/2020 at 08:40

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This particular situation involves survey companies, some of whom are performing and some of whom are not. The data collectors they are using are uploading the data in near-real time over cellular connections, so there aren’t any work-from-home issues. These guys are in the field . There are several problems with them, including slow data collection, incomplete data, data that hasn’t been properly checked through QC, and missing data.

The expectation is a solid 7 hours of data collection and the information should be complete. One of the survey companies is meeting expectations. The other two  are not.

DipodomysDeserti > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/06/2020 at 08:44

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Gotcha. Is the expectation any different now than it was before all the schools were closed and everyone told to quarantine?

TheRealBicycleBuck > DipodomysDeserti 05/06/2020 at 09:00

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U nfortunately, there’s only so much leeway that can be given. It’s a multi-million dollar data collection project and t here are contractual limits both on time and money. I’m not managing this project, so I don’t know all the details. However, it’s my understanding that they have already used their contingency. Being an “ essential” business means there is no shutdown for us and we are expected to perform on our contract. T hat means we have to expect our subcontractors to perform too. There’s not a lot of wiggle room when the subcontractor is working 6 hours but billing 8.

DipodomysDeserti > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/06/2020 at 09:29

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It’s just very frustrating that socially and familialy, certain people want us to totally lock down indefinitely , while making an exception if someone else’s money is involved.

It seems like total bullshit.

Either this thing is an existential threat or it isn’t. Instead we’re playing this weird game where some people are still getting paid, but others aren’t. Where some people have accomodations made for them (like locking society up so they don’t die because they’re already unhealthy) but others don’t (keep going on as normal to do your job, even though you have kids home from school, but then lock yourself up when not doing your job).

There are a lot of blatant contradictions and hypocrisies in how we are handling this.

TheRealBicycleBuck > DipodomysDeserti 05/06/2020 at 09:53

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I don’t disagree.

I think it would be better if people were any good at protecting themselves and others from the virus. Instead, people either stupidly put themselves and others at risk, or even worse, they do it flagrantly. It doesn’t help that very few people really understand how to use masks and gloves. There’s a right way to do it, but people aren’t trained and the both the media and our leadership set bad examples by doing it wrong or not doing it at all.

I’m trying to do my part by working and paying my bills on time and buying the things my family needs. All of those things help to keep the economic engine running. Our work lends itself to social distancing because most of our workers can either work from home or work in the field and keep their distance from others. I realize that’s not true for everyone.

Our world is full of contradictions and hypocrisy. Whole industries are deserving of bailouts, yet individuals get screwed when asking for help, whether that’s with medical care, poverty, student loans, or something else. Take your pick.

facw > TheRealBicycleBuck 05/06/2020 at 10:28

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Fair enough, have to buckle down at that point.